Making Monthly Goals: A 30-Day Trial

Newsletter #23

Changing Your Life 30 Days at a Time

As a perpetual work in progress, I often reflect on my life and how I might change it to live more by design. Several years ago I was on the hunt for a planner that would support me in changing habits, and I found one that I love from Commit 30. Yes, I tried others; some fell apart and others got my dizzy with all the tiny little lines.

I like the simple monthly and weekly layouts with space to write or doodle, the encouraging messages, extra pages and pocket in the back, and the focus on 30-day goals. Admittedly, right now I do not really actively use these goals pages, but when I started, I really did try out different routines to implement.

These trackers show when I was really committed to keeping detailed notes about my specific progress.

Here is a sampling of goals I set:

• intentional unstructured time every day with each family member

• morning & nighttime routines, plus before & after school routines

• read for fun

• writing letters to each of my students

• completing work for an online class

• consistent budgeting

• decluttering the house

• writing (for so many months, variations of this this was my goal)

On the left is a month when I was very focused on writing. On the right was the reality a lot of the time.

I even found what March 2020 looked like for me and how I had to shift my goals because of the “new normal” when the pandemic hit.

What I like about this concept is the 30 days, which is short enough of a commitment to something new that doesn’t feel too daunting and long enough to be able to build a habit out of it. It’s also a good amount of time to allow for a few days of grace if you don’t follow through, yet still have enough time to re-focus and get back on track.

I also like reading about the journey of the owner if the company in her Substack called Goals & Beyond, which is a nice way to connect to her life and the person behind this small business.

What are things you want to improve or change, or a goal you’ve already met and are proud of? Do you have techniques that help you stay on track?

2021 Scholastic Inc.

Book Report: BRAVO, ANJALI!

Written by Sheetal Sheth

Illustrated by Lucia Soto

When I first read this book, I enjoyed so many of the scenes because of the way they aptly depicted the life an emotions of a girl at home and at school. It’s easy to see how children (and adults!) can relate to the daydreaming, family dynamics, mean former-friend classmate, frustration, and triumph that Anjali experiences. I have one very specific favorite moment in this book, when an older student simply says, “Never dim your light, girl.” I pause extra here, every single time. That scene is such a powerful takeaway, especially for children who are wonderfully talented but may not quite believe it…yet. This is only one of many messages that the author Sheetal weaves into the storyline about friendship, sharing your talent, and breaking stereotypes. I also love Lucia’s expressive art and the details of setting that give such a strong sense of place on each spread. Whenever there’s a story about music—in this case the tabla, a percussion instrument from India—it takes a special talent to convey the beautiful rhythm, lyricism, and moving sounds. I’m enamored by all of the illustrations in this book.

Themes: confidence, friendship, overcoming stereotypes, love and acceptance

Discussion Ideas:

1. Describe the different lessons Anjali learns and how you can apply them to your life.

2. What emotions does Anjali feel from beginning to end of the story, and what makes her change by the end?

Mentor Text For:

• author’s message

• dialogue

• character traits

Link to Teacher Resources: Book Activities

Buy the book!

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Right away in this early spread I’m drawn into the setting of this tabla class and the dynamic between Deepak and Anjali. This is one of many colorful illustrations that show Lucia’s talent in creating people with distinct personalities through their style and facial expressions.

Weekly Progress Report

This is a section for “stuff I did” that relates to my writing career. I believe in celebrating all wins, big and small alike.

• critiqued 2 stories

• reviewed several picture books

• watched a webinar about using Instagram stories for marketing

• watched a Behind the Book webinar about I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared

• attended a class on voice

• started listening to a podcast of published authors, which is very insightful about the realities of the writing industry

• started a market analysis document for one of my picture books

• wrote a few scenes from pivotal moments for the biography

• used blackout poetry technique to reduce my ‘Wikipedia’ biography draft to essential elements

• wrote the biography in first person, present tense to focus on the emotional story

• attended a story time for The Mochi Makers

  

  Thrilled to have a signed copy of THE MOCHI MAKERS by author-illustrator Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson during a story time at Banter Books in Fremont.

Sending you courage and grace in all you choose to do,

Susan